Gardenettes Garden Club

LGCF, Inc.

November Meeting

Hosting the November Gardenette meeting are Robin Austin, Kathy Bruce, Adrienne Dunn, hostess Mona Middlebrook, Cricket Ayala and Aimee Marcombe.  The club had lots of holiday plans for their favorite projects.

Pressing flowers is very easy.  They make nice decorative accents to note cards, pictures, bookmarks and just about anything you would like to decorate, according to Robin Austin, Gardenette and guest speaker for the club’s November 9 meeting held in the home of Mona Middlebrook.

Austin held a workshop “Here Today, Preserve for Tomorrow”   on creating pressed flower pictures.  Finished items were displayed for judging, with top honors going to Lynda Byrd.  A Gardenette for over 26 years, Austin was inspired by her mother. She spends most mornings in her yard or greenhouse.

“I always have arrangements in my house, even if it’s cuttings of greenery in a vase.”  she said as she demonstrated  to fellow members the art of pressing flowers to preservethem forever.

.
Gardenettes are members of the Louisiana Garden Club Federation Inc. (LGCF) and the Deep South Region Inc. of the National Garden Club Inc.  Co-hostesses for the event were Adrienne Dunn, Aimee Marcombe, Robin Austin, Cricket Ayala, and Kathy Bruce. Genesis Award was presented to the Lion’s Club for November and December by Janice Hickey and Kathy Bedenbaugh.  The Lion’s planted Blue Daze, several colors of Vinca and some Juniper in the raised flower beds near the entrance of the building. Crepe myrtles line the driveway entrance and English Hawthorne and Nandina grace the flag poles near the entrance.

Exhibits with the theme “Framed Spatial Designs” were displayed and voted on, with top honors going to Robin Austin and Margaret Bailey. Three horticulture specimens were shown by Dunn. Review of guidelines, such as putting the botanical name and common name was conducted by horticulture chairman Patty Mullins.

Hickey announced that the club would decorate two trees at North Oaks on Friday, December 2 at 10a.m.  Austin will check on the Library Christmas tree. The annual Mr. Bingle Wreath entry is due between November 14-17. Sandra Haro and Tonya Ferguson offered creative ideas for the wreath to carry out the 25th anniversary theme. Haro, Ferguson and Hickey will work on the wreath on November 15 and will arrange delivery to City Park for the annual Christmas in the Oaks. Gardenettes  will be collecting items from the members for Operation Shoebox for Military.  Items will be delivered to Middlebrook by November 18. Some suggested items are handwritten notes, newspapers, magazines, games, socks, hats, gloves. Janice will handle packaging and shipping the items to a contact in Florida. Shoeboxes of gifts for children overseas - Operation Christmas Child - will be another holiday project.  Gardenettes will bring the filled shoeboxes to Hickey before November 21. Members will meet for a picture on November 18 at 11:00 am at the Strawberry Castle and then go to lunch.
Bailey spoke about having our t-shirt necklines and sleeves re-sewn to create ruffles. Bailey also presented information about a Quilt Square for the Butterfly Garden. We have until June to complete the project and asked that we think of some ideas for the square.

Door prizes were provided by  Robin Austin,  Dunn, Bruce, Louise Steadman, and Marcombe.  Present but not previously mentioned were Cheryl Kuhn, Diane Dufour, Joan Morse, Karen Moran, Pat Sweeney and Peggy Austin.

The annual Christmas Tea will be held in the home of Debbie Henagan, December 7 at 2:00 p.m.  Members are asked to bring a dish, a gift and an arrangement. Gift value $20. Try to bring a friend, and if you do, bring a gift for the friend to exchange



Patty Mullins, Margaret Bailey and Joan Morse waiting to give their part of the program.


District VI Director Diane Dufour, Cricket Ayala and former District VI, State Vice President Kathy Bedenbaugh, pay close attention to the meeting.


Karen Moran listens as Sandra Haro and Tonya Ferguson discuss the Mr. Bingle wreath entry in the traditional New Orleans Christmas in The Oaks at City Park.


Always glad to see Debbie Henagan whose long recovery is still ongoing, past presidents Peggy Austin and Kathy Bruce welcome her.


Pat Sweeney, Sunshine Chairman, discusses the fund and the current recipients of birthday and get well cards.  Lynda Byrd is pictured to her right.

The winner of the workshop competition is Lynda Byrd (right).  Instructor Robin Austin presents the prize.


Back